Chip and signature card in France

Voyager2002

I was very pleased with myself after I managed to get Nationwide to issue me with a proper chip and signature credit card. However, it has failed to work in France (although I used it in London immediately before boarding the Eurostar, and everything was fine). Does the French system refuse signature cards? Is there some kind of technical incompatibility?

Anyway, I have just used my Post Office card, but with a PIN, and it was fine. Could some kind person confirm that it gives as good a deal for foreign currencies as does Nationwide? Otherwise I shall have to fall back on old-fashioned money! (I even have some franc coins, but so far have not had the cheek to offer them in payment.)

Carmen

Hello Voyager, I'm not sure about chip and sig in France! I have only seen chip and pin and there are still a few swipe and sig. I have noticed a lot of french still use cheques (with id card) Sorry I do not know about post office rates.
Carmen x

Dustykitten

I used my Nationwide card in France no problem. Mine has chip and pin and signature - I used it as chip and pin each time HTH and that you are having a great holiday.

alba37

I used my Post Office credit card in Spain. I got the choice of paying in euros or pounds. I picked Euros but kept a note of the charge in pounds. When it came off my bill it was £11 cheaper than paying with pounds there. (bill was £350) The reason I got the card was because it was recommended as one of the best to use when buying abroad.

Some cards will decline if you haven't notified them you are going to use it abroad, could that have been your problem?

KathrynPenguin

It's not even always worth notifying them you'll be abroad. I was in NY a week ago and phoned Tesco before leaving to give them my dates there. From the very first transaction onwards this card refused. I then tried to call them on their "we will accept reverse charges" number about 6 times without getting through.

I then called them without trying to reverse charges and got through first time. I told the bloke he said its outside my normal spending pattern I said Yes thats why I phoned last week to tell you I'd be here. He told me that made no difference. I told him I would be forwarding the phone bill when I got back damned right I will too, I was in a hotel room and got charged $75 for that call!!!

Voyager2002

alba37 wrote: »

Some cards will decline if you haven't notified them you are going to use it abroad, could that have been your problem?

I don't think so. I have used previous Nationwide cards in places like Vietnam, Ghana, India, Switzerland and only once bothered to notify them. Of course, Nationwide may have changed since then.

Sooler

alba37 wrote: »

I used my Post Office credit card in Spain. I got the choice of paying in euros or pounds. I picked Euros but kept a note of the charge in pounds. When it came off my bill it was £11 cheaper than paying with pounds there. (bill was £350)

Martin says ...
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cards/cheaper-spending-overseas
"[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Always try to pay in the overseas currency not in Pounds.[/FONT] [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]

There's a growing trend when spending abroad for the retailer to do the conversion to Pounds itself, giving you a poor exchange rate you've no control over. Always check that you won't be charged in pounds. That way, assuming you're using one of the top cards, you'll get the best exchange rate possible."


If you pay in Euros the exchange rate be that of your cards issuing bank, if you pay in Sterling the exchange rate will be whatever the store has made up.

[/FONT]

knightstyle

Hi, First you need a Flexaccount card from Nationwide, then it will work fine in France. Except in 24hr petrol stations where you need a "CB" card. This is a french bank card using the Mastercard system. A few years ago UK Mastercard cards did not work in these unmanned petrol stations, might have changed now. Most motorway petrol stations also work with Visa.
If anyone is stuck without petrol it is worth going to a 24hr petrol station and waiting for someone to come to fill up, offer them cash and they will use thier card. This is common practice.

alba37

It was just luck I picked the right option as I had no idea what was best and the exchange rate didn't seem too bad. Now I know for sure, thanks.

Yorkshire-Lady_3

Voyager2002 wrote: »

I was very pleased with myself after I managed to get Nationwide to issue me with a proper chip and signature credit card. However, it has failed to work in France (although I used it in London immediately before boarding the Eurostar, and everything was fine). Does the French system refuse signature cards? Is there some kind of technical incompatibility?

Anyway, I have just used my Post Office card, but with a PIN, and it was fine. Could some kind person confirm that it gives as good a deal for foreign currencies as does Nationwide? Otherwise I shall have to fall back on old-fashioned money! (I even have some franc coins, but so far have not had the cheek to offer them in payment.)

Franc coins? I think you'll fine they're rather out of date now!

Sally

moob_2

Yorkshire-Lady wrote: »

Franc coins? I think you'll fine they're rather out of date now!

Sally

I think he alluded to that in his post.:p

I used my Nationwide Flexaccount in France a few weeks back with no problems. No signatures, just the pin number.